October 10th: Mudcats at Thunder

It was a beautiful fall day. The Mudcats were ready to take the diamond and play some baseball. The 1^st inning started with Lead-Off Leyton at the plate getting the Mudcats started with “just a little single”. T-Rex then hit into a fielder’s choice and before they knew it the top of the inning was over.

The bottom of the 1^st, the Thunder brought their bats. Luke made a diving catch at pitcher and the throw to Adam at first, to turn the double play and end the 1^st inning with the bases loaded. The Thunder were on the board first 2-0.

The top of the 2^nd inning, Sticks started the Mudcats off with a single. Smiley hit getting to first but the fielder got Sticks at second out. Colby singled to left field moving Smiley around the diamond. Sotell hit the ball to the pitcher loading the bases. Luke hit a grounder to 1^st and scored Smiley from 3^rd. Tex hit a single to score Colby which tied the score 2-2. Lil Papi hit a hard one to the pitcher and hustled to 1^st safe and scoring Sotell. Logan singled to load the bases and give the Mudcats a 3-2 lead.

The bottom of the 2^nd inning started when Luke fielded a grounder making the play for the first out. Jacob fielded a grounder and tagged the runner heading to 3^rd and threw to Sticks at 2^nd to make the double play happen.

T-Rex started the 3^rd inning off with a single to left. Adam hit a triple that hopped to the fence which scored T-Rex. Jacob continued the hitting rally with another single. Sticks hit to short and all the runners where safe. Colby reached 1^st base, loading the bases. Sotell hit a hard grounder to the pitcher and a run scored. The inning ended with the Mudcats taking the lead 6-2.

The bottom of the 3^rd, Adam caught a pop-up and stepped on 1^st to get the first 2 outs of the inning and the third double play for the game. The inning ends with a strike out and the Mudcats leading 6-2.

The 4^th inning was a quiet one for the Mudcats bats expect for Logan who decided to use old faithful who did not let him down with a rip to left field.

The bottom of the 4^th started with a liner to 1^st and Adam getting the first out. The inning ended with Smiley fielding a grounder at 3^rd and making a spot on throw to Adam to end the inning.

T-Rex started the 5^th inning off with a single. Adam rips one to left for a double and scoring T-Rex. Jacob advances Adam to 3^rd, while being called out at 1^st. Smiley reaches 1^st and Adam scores. After the Mudcats hitting the score is 8-2.

The Thunder started a bottom of the 5^th inning rally scoring 4 runs. At the end of 5 innings the Mudcats have a 2 run advantage, 8-6.

The Mudcats were not ready to give up nor were they ready to quit playing baseball. Luke started out with a single. Tex followed suit with a single up the middle. Lil Papi got on to load the bases. Logan had a solid hit to right, scoring two runners. T-Rex continued the hitting tradition to load the bases again this time with one out. Adam single and brought in a run. Jacob hit in to a fielder’s choice but scored a runner. Sticks gets on to the load the bases for a third time this inning. Smiley get a big single to left and two runners score making the score 14-6. Colby rips a double and two more runners score. Sotell, unstopped by a Carolina Blue cast, gets his single loading the bases. However, the top of the 6^th comes to an end due to the “10 Run Rule.” The Mudcats had a great hitting inning tacking on insurance runs, 16-6.

The bottom of the 6^th started with a motivational speech by the Mudcats Head Coach urging the Mudcats to play great defense. Luke took coach’s advice fielding the ball and throwing to Adam at first for the first out. Luke was ready once again catching a pop up at pitcher for the second out. The third and final out of the game came from Adam. He fielded a grounder to first for the out.

The game ended right at 1:00 PM, with a final of 16-6. After ten games played the Mudcats are 6-4-0, sitting in a tie at 3^rd with the Lookouts.

Notes by Jim Sotell

Write-up by Jenn DiMeo

Pictures by Tonya Proctor

October 8th: Mudcats vs Bats

The Mudcats were excited to play host to the purple-wearing, league-leading Bats. Elmo and Co. were too much to handle, both in defense and offense in their previous outing, but the Mudcats were game. 

Batting first, the Bats gave themselves a big cushion with a lead of 4 runs. The Bats made hits and advanced runners on aggressive base running.  

Usually potent in the 1st inning themselves, the Mudcats had their work to do. Lead-off Leyton was on base, true to form. However, he was injured while sliding into second, hoping to beat the fielder’s choice that was Adam’s grounder. Leyton toughed it out, but the play would prove portentous. The Mudcats ultimately grounded out to end the inning, having done nothing to erase the four-run deficit.  

The second half of the line-up for the Bats was less productive, and they ended their campaign scoreless in the 2nd inning.

Smiley beats a throw to first, with a one-out single. Colby, one of the Mudcats’ most dependable hitters, gets on with a shot to left center. Sadly, a pop-up and a grounder end the inning with two Mudcats stranded.

The Bats would not be held scoreless for many innings, and they added to their lead, putting the Mudcats in what would be an intractable lag. With Elmo at the plate, and the bases loaded, the Mudcats gave up three runs, and were down 0-7.

The Mudcats, for their part, were three-up and three-down to end the 3rd inning.

The Cats are tough, as they have proven over the season. The defense does its job, and Jacob "The Beekeeper" makes a double play to retire the Bats. 

Coach Scott dons the time-honored and unmistakable “Rally-cap”. Of course, you have to be older than seven years old to recognize it, otherwise it just looks like Adam’s Dad is wearing a broken hat. The parents get it, and they smell a rally. And Rally they did. Lead-off Leyton gets a base hit. T-Rex is on with a fielder’s choice. Sticks brings his “A” game, and gets a two out double, and as many RBIs--the score is 2-7.

The Mudcats are plucky in the 5th inning. The Beekeeper makes a SportsCenter-esque play behind second base for the out.  Colby gets plugged in the chest with a chopping ball to center, but gets the ball in time to avoid extra bases.  Drew catches a fly ball, and the inning is over with only one run scored; 2-8.

Colby gets it started with a base hit.  Coach Joe is wearing the "I’m-not-sure-I-understand-the-thinking-of-the-opposition’s-base-running" hat. Luke hits a grounder, and Colby scores. Tex is on with a fielder’s choice. Luke grounds out, but the Mudcats score a run; 3-8.

The Mudcats curb the Bats in the top of the 6th inning.  

The Beekeeper scores two runs with a big hit, and the Mudcats are on the come back trail. But it was not to be, as the inning ended with a score of 5-8.  

Write-up by Scott Hart

Pictures by Tonya Proctor

October 3rd: Mudcats vs Scrapper

The Mudcats hosted the Scrappers, coming off a convincing win against the Bees improving their record to 5-2. The verdant field was in fine condition, and the age old Pines served witness behind the “162 Feet” sign in left field.

True to their name, the Scrappers started the game with a productive two-run inning. The second batter doubled, and another tripled before ground outs sent them to defend their lead.

Lead-off Leyton led off and hit the second pitch for a base hit. Considering he’s never been walked, nor hit by a pitch, his OBP (on-base percentage, for the un-initiated) has to be stratospheric. T-Rex grounded into a fielder’s choice, as did Smiley—man on first, two outs. Big Adam gets a hit to center and moves Smiley to third, and the Cats have runners at the corners. Sticks hits the ball over short stop, scoring Smiley, and putting Adam in scoring position at third. Colby hits a chopper over second base, evening the score at 2-2 before the inning ends.

The Scrapper’s pitcher gets two strike-outs, a batter gets a double, but no runs are scored at the top of the 2nd inning. 

Drew gets a lead-off hit. Tex advances Drew, and is safely on. Lil Papi grounds out, but puts Tex and Drew in scoring position. Logan scores Drew from third, and Tex wisely watches the third base coach for direction, and the Cats are up 3-2. The top of the order is up, and Leyton loads the bases with his second hit of the game. T-rex scores Tex (4-2), and the Cats have runners at the corners. Smiley gets the job done with a big hit, but a sound defensive play is the third out, and the Scrappers are left relatively unscathed, with two Cats left on base.

Top of the 3rd inning for Scrappers. Luke keeps after a pop-fly and gets the runner at first—tenacious defense. Sticks makes a great stop, and just misses the runner at first. A huge shot to left scores a Scrapper (4-3). Luke makes the third out with a throw to first. 

The Cats looked ready to add to the lead, as Sticks was in scoring position on second base. Luke hit a well-struck ball, but it was a line drive to the second-baseman, inning over.
 
A veritable John Smoltz, the Scrapper’s pitcher strikes out three batters, and the team strands the base-runner on first.

Drew gives the Cats an early chance with his second base hit and grounder up the middle. Tex grounds out, but gets Drew in position to score.  Lil Papi hits down the right field line, and Drew scores (5-3). Leyton hits a rocket, but the Scrappers are scrappy, and get a double play to end the inning.

At the top of the 5th, the first batter gets a triple. Drew stops a grounder, and makes the tag for the first out of the inning. The bases are loaded. A Scrapper gets a base hit to left, and evens the score, 5-5. A chopper to third scores another run. T-rex makes the third out, but not before the score is 5-7.

With a little scrappiness of their own, T-Rex gets a hit to left field. Smiley gets a base hit over second base.  Sticks is on with a fielder’s choice, as the Scrappers get the lead runner out at third. Colby scores Smiley, and narrows the lead to one (6-7).

Giving themselves a chance, the Cats hold the Scrapers scoreless in the top of the 6^th inning.  But they needed more time as they too were impotent in the last, and lose the game by one run. 

Write-up by Scott Hart
Pictures by Tonya Proctor

Thursday, October 1st: Mudcats at Bees

Thanks to the Backyard Bistro, the Mudcats rang in the first day of autumn in a brawl with the Bees at West Raleigh Exchange Club Park.  With a 4-2 record, and a second-place standing, the Mudcats' spirits were high, and the Bees would be quarry. 

The Mudcats continued their string of strong starts with 4 runs in the top of the first inning.  Leyton led off for the Cats with a grounder too tough for the Bees to handle.  T-Rex hit a high ball to center, and the Bees were on notice.  Smiley got on with a grounder and a fielder's choice, leaving the Cats with runners at the corners, and big-bad Adam at the plate.  Adam smacks a line drive and scores Leyton.  Jacob gets a little help from the Bees defense, thereby allowing Sticks to crush a ball, and bring in Adam and Smiley.  Colby knocks Jacob home, and secures a 4-0 lead before a pop-up retires the side.

The Bees' lead-off hitter is quickly on base, and the home dugout is abuzz with what looks like a strong start.  The second batter hits a fly ball to Sticks, who's in position to make the catch.  Next up, Luke fields the ball and throws out the runner at second.  A Bee gets a base hit, and a runner in scoring position on third.  Before they could capitalize however, Sticks catches another fly ball for the third out, and the inning ends scoreless for the Bees. 

The latter half of the line-up were up for the Cats.  Drew, Tex and Logan all waited for good pitches, made contact, but grounded out to the Bees.  Three up, three down.

In turn, the Cat's defense stymied the Bees again.  Jacob makes a great throw to first, beating the runner, as does Luke for the second out.  Jacob tags second base for the third out, perhaps earning the moniker "Bee Keeper" for the day.

Lil Papi, after getting comfortable in the left-handed batter's box, digs out a grounder to start the inning.  Leyton casually smacks a double, and the Cats are threatening.  T-rex gets a hit, after finding the right pitch, and scores Lil Papi who slides into home, just to be safely safe.  Smiley scores T-Rex.  The Bee Keeper (formerly Jacob) gets on by beating a throw, and setting up runners on the corners.  Sticks hammers a line-drive down the third base line, and the boys have added to their lead, which is now 7-0.

It was T-rex who'd provide most of the defense for the bottom of the third.  He showed his arm by making the throw from third to first, then stayed in front of a stinger, knocking it down, and tagging third base to end the inning.   Maybe we should call him "The Fumigator", but on second thought, T-Rex is already a pretty solid nickname.

At the top of the 4th, Drew gets the Cats rolling with a base hit over the third base-man's head.  Tex is on with a grounder.  Logan's hit scores Drew, and the Cats are now up 8-0.

The Bees are at bat, and on base with a tough shot to Sticks, who's shaken up on the play, but tough enough to stay in the inning.  The "Bee Keeper" just misses the runner in an effort to turn two off a well-hit grounder.  Adam gets an unassisted out at first.  The lights come on.  The Bees have a runner on second, and advance him for their first run of the evening. 

Adam gets up with Smiley on base in the 5th, and drives him in for another RBI, and securing an 8-run margin, 9-1.  The Bees score in the bottom, and are witness to perhaps the greatest defensive play of the year for the Cats.  The "Bee Keeper" chased down a chopper, slid to both knees to stop it, then rifled a shot to first to end the inning.  He jogged back to the dugout, a la Derek Jeter. 

Colby gets a big hit.  Luke is on with hit.  Drew grounds out, but gets the runners around.  Tex grounds out, but scores Colby.  Logan hits a grounder, beats the throw to first, then gets snagged on the way to second, but only after scoring Luke.  11-2 in favor of the Cats.

The Bee Keeper makes a breath-taking, running catch in center for the first out. Perhaps the only thing more brilliant than the Bee Keeper's play, is the manager's decision to move him to center in the 6th.   T-Rex makes yet another out at third.  The Bees score another run, but end the inning leaving two runners stranded.  Game over. The Mudcats improve to 5-2 on the season. 


Write-up by Scott Hart
Pictures by Tonya Proctor